


Apocalypsis

by KiloParsec



Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV), The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-05-31 21:17:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6487693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiloParsec/pseuds/KiloParsec
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alicia Clark could take care of herself. She didn't need anyone's help to survive.<br/>Until she did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'll make it short since I don't know if people even read the author note. It's a first meeting kind of fic and it's a one shot.  
> ...  
> For now ? I don't know. I have some idea for a longer plot if anybody wants to read more !

Chapter 1  
The silence. It was the most noticeable change in the world after it happens. Entire cities became silent, as the livings ran to save their lives while the Dead... The Dead were condemned to senseless noises as they haunted the empty streets. And that's how silence became Alicia's best friend. She had learnt how to make as little noise as possible, muffling the sounds her footsteps and keeping her words for herself. It's not like anybody was around to hear them anyway.

She was on a long overdue scavenging trip, having lived the last two days on a couple of candy bars and a bag of chips she had found in a vending machine. She had spotted the small store nestled between two taller buildings and had crossed her fingers. Maybe other survivors had bypassed it. It didn't exactly look like a friendly place to find food, with the gloomy atmosphere and the cracked, tinted windows that were filtering most of the exterior light.

Obviously she had been wrong. The shelves were empty and her only edible finding so far was an already opened box of cereals that had been left under the counter. She stepped around a puddle of water on the ground and sighed. The broken windows were letting the rain trickled in and water had flooded most of the floor. The store was abandoned and people had likely pillaged the place before she even arrived in the neighborhood. She was about to search the last cupboards when she froze. The silence became eerie, heavier than usual. Uncomfortable. She quickly decided to leave and tightened the straps of her backpack around her shoulders.

When something gripped her ankle as she made her way in the back of the store, she wasn't entirely shocked. She muffled a scream of surprise and looked down. A hand was holding her ankle. Even if the skin was torn and bloody, she could still make out the traces of remaining purple ink on the wrist. Her eyes followed up the arm, to a shoulder and to a face she recognized. The boy had lived on her street. She couldn't remember the last time they had talked, but all the random things she did know about him seemed to flood her mind as she stared down. He was quiet. Shy. Worked in a pizzeria. He was sixteen, owned a dog and was always wearing a blue baseball cap. And now he was looking at her with hunger in his eyes, groaning and crawling closer to her feet. She came back to her senses when she saw his face near her ankle, teeth bared and ready to sink into her skin. She managed to shake off his hand, hitting him in the jaw with the heel of her sneakers.

She stumbled backward. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, searching another way to escape the store. She couldn't reach the front entrance without coming near the living corpse on the ground. The only other way out was a side door and he was blocking her path in that direction as well. He was still lying down and she noticed that his left leg was entirely missing. He could only crawl, but he kept steadily moving in her direction, his empty eyes never leaving her face. She suddenly hit the back wall of the room and froze. She was trapped, cornered in an empty convenience store with no weapons and nowhere to hide. She considered jumping over him to run to the front entrance. She quickly discarded the idea, he would catch her in a matter of seconds if she fell. She realized her chances of keeping her balance after a long jump on the dirty, slippery floor were slim.

Her breathing quickened and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't want to die, not like this. She had always promised herself that she would end her life the moment she was bitten. She couldn't bear the idea of turning into some mindless zombie, hunting for human flesh... She had never considered what would happen if a Walker catch her. She had seen people fall in their hands. The slow, painful death that would ensue, punctuated by those awful screams of agony. The screams that still haunted her. She had never thought about her own life ending that way.

She kept moving, trying to shake off the morbid thoughts in her head. Her back was to the wall and she inched her way toward the corner of the store. She stopped when her shoulder hit a shelf. She felt the furniture move and heard the "thump" as it hit the wall. Her eyes hardened. Suddenly, she knew exactly what to do. It was risky and she knew it was her last chance at escaping him, but she emptied her mind. If she was going to survive, she couldn't focus on what she was feeling. She made her way on the other side of the shelf and waited until he got a little closer to her. Her breathing slowed down and her palms closed on the edges of the metallic, heavy object. She pushed it toward the dead boy, putting the weight of her body behind the movement. She felt the furniture move until it tipped forward and fell on the ground with a noise that sounded deafening in the heavy silence. The corpse stopped moving, crushed under it. Not thinking about what she had done, she jumped on the shelf, ran to the side door and slammed it closed behind her. She knew the noise was likely to attract more Walkers but she took a moment to compose herself as she stepped outside.

She was alive. She felt slightly dirty, the weight of killing what used to be a living person settling on her shoulders. She almost always managed to outrun or outsmart the Dead. Almost. Murder wasn't getting any easier, even knowing the Walkers weren't exactly human anymore. All the survivors had been forced to realize it. Even her mom had started to soften her strict moral principles. "We do what we need to do to survive, Alicia.". That was one of the last thing she told her before her family... Disappeared.

She closed her eyes in another attempt to clear her mind. It only brought her right back to the empty, hungry eyes of that boy, to the nauseating sound her shoe had made when she kicked his jaw and to the splatters of blood around his body. She felt the reality of the new world they were living in downed on her - again - and it made her feel sick. She would love nothing more than to return to the painfully boring life of a student, running between classes with her college acceptance as her biggest worry.

She opened her eyes, refusing to go down that train of thoughts. Contemplating what used to be her life was useless. She stood up straight and took a look around. She was in an alley at the back of the convenience store. There was a high, chained fence on her left and a street on her right.

"Hey!"

She whipped her head to the left, her eyes finding a figure crouched down on the other side of the fence. A woman. Blonde, average height and dressed in what seemed like khaki army pants and a dark green tee-shirt.

"We need to get you out of here." She whispered again, louder this time. Alicia took a step back, frowning. She didn't need this stranger's advice, she could hear Walkers moving around in the store behind her.

She answered in a clipped tone. "That's what I was going to do." She didn't wait for an answer and turned her back on the blonde, slightly annoyed.

"I wouldn't go this way, if I were you."

Alicia rolled her eyes and didn't dignify the comment with an answer. She only quickened her steps in defiance. She emerged from the alley into what used to be a busy boulevard. It was blocked by a bus, laying on its side and leaving the three street lanes empty. The bus' door was facing up and she could hear grunting coming from the broken vehicle. She stopped running abruptly and winced. She immediately realized she was too close to the bus. She could see the Walkers inside shifting their attention towards her when they heard the sound of her boots hitting the ground. She crouched, her body half hidden behind an abandoned car and backed away. She was moving as slowly as possible in a desperate attempt to evade detection. She hoped the Dead didn't notice her and would forget her noisy appearance. Her hope lasted only seconds, as the corpse occupying the driver's seat raised its head and looked directly at her. He grunted and started shuffling to the door, arms raised in front of him.

She froze as more Walkers climbed out of broken windows. She frantically searched around for a weapon, until a hand settled on her left shoulder and pulled her backwards. She screamed and almost tripped but collided with a body to stop her fall. A warm, alive body. Alicia raised her head and regained her footing, recognizing the soldier from earlier. She was smirking while looking down at her.  
"You couldn't just listen to a fair warning, could you?"

Vaguely insulted, the brunette released the grip she had on the other woman's shoulder as she regained her balance. She stepped further away.  
"You didn't give me a fair warning! It was a condescending remark that I chose to ignore."

The stranger rolled her eyes. "I'll make sure to adjust my tone, next time I try to save your life"

"What kind of cryptic advice was that anyway? Couldn't you just say "There is a bus full of dead people on that street. Maybe you should consider another route."  
She was interrupted by the soldier stepping around her and gripping the closest man's arm.  
"But where is the fun in that ?"  
She yanked it forward and pushed a knife through his eye. The blonde managed to push the body away, hoping to slow down the group of Infected targeting them. She turned around and pushed Alicia back, pressing her to run into the alley. "Less talking, more running."

They arrived in front of the fence and Alicia hooked her fingers through the chains. She closed her fists and was about to start climbing when her hands slid off and an unexpected pain shot through her arms.

"What... ?"  
She muttered under her breath before opening her hands. Her palms were bleeding, the skin sliced open by the metallic shelf she had moved in the store. Her eyes widened as she looked up to the fence. If she couldn't climb... There was no way to escape. The end of the alley was already blocked by Walkers shuffling closer. The stranger was keeping them at a good distance, even if she was outnumbered and slowly losing ground.

Alicia let her eyes linger on the other woman for a second. She had definitely been trained for combat. The narrow street was working to her advantage, as only a few bodies could attack her at the same time. She ducked under the arm of a large, bald man and planted her knife in his throat. He fell back, she kicked the back of his knee and he took down another Walker in his fall. There was something darkly mesmerizing in how she seemed in complete control of the fight. Her movements were fast but calculated. She almost looked comfortable as she ducked a reckless corpse that stumbled forward. He tripped and went flying on her left side. She caught the man on the side of his head with a second knife that seemingly came out of nowhere.

"Are you going to stare at me all day?"  
The soldier's back was to Alicia and she briefly wondered how she could know she was staring.  
"I'm not... I can't climb." She raised her hands, blood trickling down her wrists.

A brief glance behind her and the stranger nodded. She twisted and took in hand the rifle that was strapped to her back. Alicia hadn't even noticed the weapon. The first round of bullets eliminated the closest Walkers, buying them more time to find a way out. Before she could properly think, the other woman ran up to the fence and stood in front of her. Alicia was lost, she had no idea what to expect. Her injuries would only slow down their escape. The soldier could climb without looking back, which would leave her stuck between a fence and a group of Walkers. She wasn't used to being a burden to anyone and it made her uncomfortable. She swallowed the uneasiness settling in her stomach and tilted her head to the side, waiting for the stranger's next move.

Alicia was surprised when she knelt, clasping her hands together in front of her. The younger woman hesitated a second, long enough for her to notice.

"Are you going to refuse my help again? I wasn't even condescending this time."

Alicia let a relieved sigh escaped her lips and moved her left foot in the strangers' hands. She was boosted up, high enough to pass her arms on the other side. She raised her body the rest of the way, lifting her legs over the top of the fence and sliding off. The other woman wasn't far behind, landing on her right a few seconds later. The Walkers didn't seem to notice the obstacle and were still making their way forward. 

"Come on, I'm not sticking around to know how long this fence can hold them back."

Alicia was hesitant to follow her. "I don't even know who you are."  
"Elyza Lex, soldier extraordinaire and occasional knight in shiny combat boots."

The younger woman rolled her eyes but offered her name in response. "Alicia. Why are you here then? I thought the army left weeks ago."

She sighed before answering. "That's another tale for another time. Listen, you don't have to trust me, but I can at least help with your injuries. And I can promise you I'm not a serial killer, if that's what you're scared of."

She walked away without another word, not bothering to check on Alicia. If the girl couldn't accept a rare offering of help from a stranger, she wouldn't last long. Elyza wasn't going to get attached to another lost cause. She had quickly realized that not everybody was suited for the new world they were living in... 

To her inexplicable relief, the girl followed in her footsteps, still vaguely protesting. "That's exactly what a serial killer would say." She chuckled and guided them to a red car parked nearby. She opened the door on the passenger's side and looked at the brunette, expectantly.

Alicia took place inside, grumbling to herself "I could have opened the door myself."

The blonde turned her head before closing it. "Nope. I'm enforcing a very strict policy of "No blood in the car". Plus, I'm nothing if not chivalrous."

She bit her lips before she could smile and put on her seat-belt, carefully holding the buckle between her fingers to keep it away from her injury. She saw the other woman enter the car, but kept her eyes on the road ahead. Elyza's flirty attitude was refreshing in the grim reality they were living in, not that she would ever let her know. "Drive."

"Oh, bossy." Elyza started the car, with a wink to her passenger. "I like it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter 2! It's a little hard to believe that actual people are enjoying this story and I'm very thankful for every kudos/comment.
> 
> A little FYI, I decided to change Alicia's backstory for this chapter. I'm not a big fan of FTWD - especially after the season 2 premiere - so I didn't feel too bad. I love TWD though so maybe this is closer to a TWD/The 100 crossover, featuring Alicia Clark.

The car ride was mostly silent. Alicia kept glancing at the other woman from the corner of her eye. She had one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on the side of the window. Her eyes didn't leave the road but she still had a carefree air about her that intrigued the younger woman. The only noticeable common point between every stranger she had encountered was their frazzled state of mind. They seemed to be constantly thinking, planning their next step in their new lifelong fight for survival. They shared the same shadow of profound exhaustion in their eyes and Alicia had promised herself that she wouldn't let herself live in that state of permanent fear. She had since managed to keep her emotions in check, except for that minute of breakdown she had earlier, outside the convenience store. 

But Elyza was the complete opposite of those struggling people. There had been no trace of fear in her fight against the Walkers and what Alicia had initially dismissed as a reckless attitude now seemed like self confidence. The soldier had trusted her combat skills and she hadn't worried about the possible outcome of their encounter with the Dead. It was a welcome change and Alicia wanted to know more. Wasn't she afraid of dying? Of being bitten and turning into a living corpse? Even military training couldn't have prepared her for the impossible zombie apocalypse, right?

"You really like staring, don't you?"

If she could only dropped the arrogant attitude, Alicia might even like her. She sighed, quickly throwing the first excuse that crossed her mind.

"Sorry, I was thinking."

Elyza dropped the subject not without a skeptical tone. "What about ?"

"Do you really have a "No blood in the car" policy?" Alicia groaned internally. That was probably the less believable excuse she could come up with, but it was still better than admitting to the other woman that she had made a remarkable first impression. She made sure her face didn't betray her thoughts, scolding her traits in a neutral expression.

The blond chuckled but didn't comment. "Damn right, I do. I've been injured a couple of times and look around you. Still spotless."

"So you're one of those people..."

"Those people?"

"The car obsessed people."

Elyza rolled her eyes at the accusation. "I am not. I just like my living space to be clean. Cleanliness is next to godliness."

Alicia furrowed her brow, utterly confused. "What does that even mean?"

"I have no idea. It's a saying my grandfather liked. Religious guy, kinda crazy to be honest. But he got us to keep ourselves clean."

Alicia turned her head and the seriousness in the blond's eyes broke her. She started laughing. "You're so weird."

Elyza smiled, happy to see that the tension in the brunette's attitude had eased up. The outside world was dangerous enough, the soldier had quickly learned to find humor in the worst possible situation. It was her own way to stay sane. She kept her reflections for herself, barely shrugging. "I don't know if I should be insulted or not, but making a pretty lady laugh is always a win in my book."

Alicia sobered up a little but a small smile was still hanging onto the corner of her lips. "I can't remember the last time I laughed."

And she couldn't. Not since she had left with her family to rescue Nick from that hospital. They found him trying to escape the building that was crawling with Walkers. They managed to rescue him but soon found themselves running from the Dead who followed her brother. They barricaded themselves in an abandoned surgery room and planned their way out. They sneaked up to the last floor, ready to climb up to the roof. Ophelia had tripped in the last set of stair, her body dropping in a loud, crushing noise that was enough to signal their presence. They had kept running but the injured girl was slowing them down. The Walkers had crowded them in the middle of a corridor and only Nick and her had the chance to jump out of a window. She still remembered the long minutes that had passed after she recovered from the fall. Her eyes hadn't left the window until Nick took her hand. "We can't stay here." She had numbly nodded and they had ran, turning their back to the groaning noises still escaping from the hospital. 

Alicia shook her head, refusing to think about what had likely happened to the rest of her family. It was useless, there was nothing she could do to bring them back. 

Elyza parked the car and turned to her passenger who seemed lost in thoughts. "Home, sweet home. Come on. I can take care of your hands... And maybe I can get another laugh out of you."

Alicia blinked as the other woman walked up to an abandoned building. They were in an old commercial zone and she was confused by the absence of houses. She hurried in Elyza's footsteps, looking around. 

"Where do you live?"

There was no answer as the blond entered what used to be a restaurant. She passed through the kitchen and opened a heavy door in the back.

"It's small and it's not cold anymore but it's practical. Walkers can't open that door and humans would make enough noise to warn us. There's a lot of storage space, obviously"

The brunette looked around, taking in her surroundings. They were standing in a cold room the restaurant had used to stock meat. Metal shelves were covering every wall and an imposing freezer occupied the middle of the place. There was still enough room to walk around but there was no way a group could live here. She immediately noticed the vast amount of food stocked in the shelves. Cans, fresh vegetables and packed meals were stacked in neat piles. She walked up to the freezer and peered inside to notice an impressive arsenal of weapons.

Alicia turned to face Elyza and raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Warn us? Who's with you?"

But the soldier was too busy heading for a pile of blankets on the floor. A... Moving pile of blankets on the floor?

"I can't leave you around for more than two minutes, can I?"

She crouched down and threw the blankets in the corner of the room to reveal a small puppy. It was black, with big, soulful eyes and Alicia made a sound in the back of her throat. She had seen animals since she had been on the run, but never a puppy. There was something painfully normal in watching Elyza pet the small animal that was trying to lick her hand. 

"Gross. Keep your tongue in your mouth, please."

"Wait, you have a dog? And you talk to him like he can understand you?"

Elyza let out a small sigh and sat on the floor, leaning on the freezer behind her with her legs crossed. The puppy was jumping up and down her knees with a small, excited noise. 

"He's a wolf cub and he's not mine. I was just looking for some food here when her mother attacked me. I had to kill her and I found him hiding in the kitchen. He decided to stick around, I guess." 

Alicia took a step closer and the blond noticed her hesitant look. 

"You can pet him. He is pretty much a puppy for now."

She knelt next to her and slowly put her hand close to the animal's head. He sniffed the air and growled, batting her hands away with his small paw. Elyza raised an eyebrow but before she could react, the cub jumped with his teeth bared. Alicia slid to the left and he tumbled behind her but he was running back to them. The soldier moved first and trapped him between her body and her left arm as her right hand snaked around his mouth, holding his jaw closed. 

"Down, boy." Her tone was firm but the animal didn't react. His little body was still vibrating as he growled. Elyza looked at Alicia, checking her for any injury when she realized why the wolf in her arms was acting up. She walked up to the corner of the room, still holding the cub against her and kicked a backpack out with her foot. 

"Can you bring this outside? I'm going to lock him in here."

Dumbfounded, Alicia nodded. She froze when she took the strap in her right hand, seeing a drop of blood fall on the floor. She looked at her palm and at Elyza who was making calming noise and walking around with the little animal. The blond caught her eyes and apologized, keeping her tone soft and low. The cub was starting to calm down and she had no intention of unnerving him again.

"I'm sorry. I forgot about your hand. He probably thought you were a snack."

She waited as Alicia made her way to the door and stepped out in the kitchen. She let the cub down slowly. She walked up to her food ration and opened a can of beef stew, setting it on the floor. The wolf made his way to the food and smelled it, his tongue darting out to lick the meat inside. 

Alicia was sitting on a counter, her feet dangling in front of her when Elyza joined her. The younger woman had set the bag on her knees, using one of her hand to open it. She could see the cut on her left side and she wasn't worried. It didn't seem very deep. Her right palm bothered her more, she could still feel a dull pain and blood was trickling down to her wrist.

Elyza stepped in front of her, gently taking the hand into hers. She looked at the injury and quickly diagnosed "You need stitches." She paused and grinned. "Lucky you though, I have a lot of experience."

The contact between their hands had been warm and not unwelcome but Alicia's instinct took over at the words. She shook off the other woman's grip, in a vaguely annoyed gesture. "I can take care of myself."

She took out an antiseptic wipe from the first aid kit with her working hand and tore the wrapping open with her teeth. She clinched them together before quickly cleaning the wound. It stung but she made sure to cover the entire length of the cut. She groaned as she took another look at her injury. It was deeper than she thought and the skin had clearly been sliced open. She did need stitches. And since she wasn't very good at sewing with both of her hands available... 

With a deep sigh, she raised her head to look at Elyza who was simply watching her. "Fine. I need stitches." The blond's face didn't betray her emotions and she didn't answer. Alicia stared at her, frowning. She rolled her eyes when she saw the purposefully innocent look the soldier was giving her. "Will you help me?"

"Your wish is my command"

She stepped forward, taking hold of the first aid kit and fishing out a wrapped sterilized needle and a box of dental floss. She threaded the floss into the needle and left it on the counter, carefully putting it down on the torn plastic. She paused and looked at the brunette. Alicia was a little pale and kept staring at the sharp object. She didn't notice when Elyza fumbled around the bag, taking out bandages and more a few other items she would need before wiping her own hands with an antiseptic tissue. 

Alicia had jumped at the unexpected first sting on her skin, turning her head sharply to look at her injury and saw a syringe close to her hand. Elyza explained quickly "I thought it would be better if you didn't feel the needle piercing your skin every time". She had nodded in thanks and the silence had fell until the blond spoke.

"I've done it before, don't worry." But it didn't seem to bring her any comfort so Elyza softly tapped her knee until she could stand closer to the counter, between the girl's leg. It brought Alicia's attention back on her and she winked. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me for long."

She slid the injured limb in her left hand and took the needle with the other, holding it close to the cut. Alicia swallowed but pushed her nerves away. "What are you waiting for? With all of your flirting, one would think you would know what to do once you get between a girl's legs."

Elyza blinked at her, her brain frozen. She had always used overly charming comments to break the ice with strangers. It worked to her advantage, it was an efficient way to both catch people's attention and make her look inoffensive. She couldn't remember the last time anyone flirted back. Probably when she joined the army, there were a couple of cute recruits in her training group and they had their fun before being given a permanent assignation. 

"I can't decide if I'm more impressed or offended." Impressed. Definitely impressed. "Now look over there and let me work. I don't think you'll enjoy watching me sew your skin back together."

Alicia winced but did turn her head. She didn't know where the words came from but seeing the other woman speechless had been particularly enjoyable. 

*****************************************  


"I'm only trying to help you." She had been working silently, her brows furrowed in deep concentration as she moved the needle in and out of the brunette's skin but Elyza didn't miss Alicia's confused expression at her words and she clarified her thoughts. "Earlier. I'm not being condescending to you. I know you can take care of yourself. It's the only way to survive without a group."

"What makes you think I'm on my own?"

"You followed me here. You wouldn't have left your group behind."

"How can you possibly know that?" 

Elyza took the time to cut the thread before answering. It wasn't her first time making stitches and the scar she left was mostly clean. The blood had stopped dribbling in the girl's hand but she took a bandage and wrapped it around Alicia's hand, careful to keep a light pressure on her injury. She raised her head once she was done, looking up.

"I guess I can't." She still had Alicia's hand in her own palm and softly rubbed the skin next to the bandage with her thumb. Alicia froze. Their eyes connected for a brief moment and the brunette was surprised by the warmth in the soldier's eyes. "There. All better."

"Thank you." It had been a whisper but she caught it and nodded in response. 

A few seconds passed and Elyza cleared her throat. She took a step back, feeling slightly awkward in the lengthened silence. She leaned back against the counter opposite Alicia before asking "Now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"What's your plan? Where were you going when we met?"

"I don't..." Alicia sighed. She had no intentions of telling her about what happened to her family. She may have been strangely comfortable with the blond but they were still strangers. "I don't have a plan. I'm just trying to survive."

Elyza frowned "That's no way to live."

She felt vaguely offended by the words but didn't show it. Elyza was right. Wandering alone around the city to find food and water was taking a toll on her. She was trying to stay away from Walkers and other survivors alike. The Dead were more dangerous, of course but humans were sneaky. They would knife you in the back instead of taking a bite out of your arm. Alicia couldn't remember the last time she slept more than three hours, probably the last night Nick had been alive to keep watch.

"I'm guessing you have a better suggestion."

"I..." It was Elyza's turn to hesitate. Yes, she had a plan. But it was only a way to make up for all the mistakes that had led her to live here, barricaded in the cold room of a restaurant with a wolf as only company. There was no place in her plan for anyone else. She was struggling to find a way of explaining her situation to Alicia without revealing too much about her past. 

"I know a place. It's safe." There. That would do, she wasn't lying.

Alicia's attention was caught. "Where is it?"

"In the mountains. I have friends there."

"Wait, does the place belong to the army?"

"Not anymore, no." Again, it was true. The friends she had left behind were all in the military but the army itself had disappeared. She knew many fellow soldiers who had stuck together, but with no one to command them, the organization had quickly crumbled. 

"Do you think... Maybe I could come with you?" Alicia's voice was hesitant. She mostly trusted the blond but the idea of living with somebody else was scary. She didn't know if she was ready to share the making of decisions or ready to risk getting attached again. But she was smart enough to see that her chances of survival were better in a group, however small it may be. 

Elyza froze. She had no intention of reaching the military base. She knew her team would take care of Alicia if she managed to find her way there, but it wasn't her place anymore. There were too many painful memories, too many expectations that would fall on her shoulders if she was to return. "I have to make sure the city is cleared before I leave. You can go, though. They'll take care of you."

"Oh." Alicia swallowed the disappointment. She couldn't shake the rejection feeling at the hesitance in Elyza's voice and the brunette abruptly stood up, eyes scanning the room.

"What are you looking for?"

"I understand. I'll find my backpack and I'll be on my way."

"Wait, what?"

Alicia sighed as she found and opened her bag. It was mostly empty, except for a change of clothes that needed to be washed. She swallowed her pride and turned to Elyza. "Do you think I can take some of the food you found? Just enough for a few days, I can manage by myself once my hand heals."

The blond was thrown off by the other woman's attitude. Didn't she just ask if they could go to her safe place together? She reached out as Alicia brushed passed her, lightly touching her shoulder. "What's going on? What did I say, Alicia?"

For a second, the brunette said nothing. "I have been on my own for weeks. I encountered other groups before. Survivors. Do you know why I don't stay with them?"  
It was a rhetorical question and Elyza knew it. "Humans can be almost as dangerous as Walkers. It's impossible to know how far someone will go to survive. Some are willing to do anything, even betray their friends and family. Some are so set in their old ways that they can't adapt to this... World. They act like everything is fine and get stupidly killed. I don't want to join your random group in a safe place, just to be thrown away when they think I'm useless."

"They're my friends. They wouldn't do that."

"Your friends? When did you see them last?"

"Before the invasion." Alicia frowned. "Sorry. Before the Infected took over major cities."

"Months ago then. People change, Elyza."

That seemed to shake the solider out of her daze. She had realized Alicia was more than the average teenager when she first saw her ran into that alley, with blood all over her shirt. It was obvious that she had closely escaped a dangerous situation. Elyza had recognized the panic in her eyes all too well. She had noticed her injured hands and expected a break down or an attempt to contact someone but Alicia had forced herself to calm down, taking deep breaths. Elyza had felt a surprising need to reach out and offer her help once the girl had opened her eyes, impressed by her cold headed attitude.

"They do. But they're all soldiers. We're used to this world, we've been preparing for war zones our entire life."

Alicia visibly deflated, her shoulders slumping a little. "I hope you find your way to them soon." She shrugged off the loose grip on her shoulder and tried to step away.

Elyza's hand only slid down and gripped her wrist. They weren't done with this conversation. "What changed? You just asked me if you could come with me to..." The words died in her throat. "Is that it? You think I don't want to go with you?". The suddenly closed off look on the younger woman's face was enough of an answer. "I'm sorry. There's something... I can't leave yet. It has nothing to do with you."

"Let me stay with you, then." The words were out of her mouth before Alicia could think about it. Her eyes widened when her brain caught up with what she had said but she didn't back down.

"It's too dangerous for a civilian."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "A civilian? You just said it yourself, we've been living in a war zone for months. I can handle myself."

Elyza sighed. The loneliness had been getting to her recently and she could feel the same tension in the brunette's attitude. It was why she didn't send the wolf away when it had first curled up besides her knees. But she knew her plan was almost certainly a suicide mission and she couldn't possibly drag Alicia into it, could she? "How do you know I'm trustworthy? You said it yourself, humans can be deceiving."

Alicia shook her head. "Is that a serious question? In the last hour, you tried to warn me away from Walkers, came at my rescue when I didn't listen and saved my life by helping me climb that fence. Then you brought me back and used your first aid supply to treat my injury. Now you're trying to send me away for my own safety. I don't think you're about to betray me." A brief pause and her eyes lightened up in amusement. "And you're keeping a puppy as a pet, in the zombie apocalypse. I don't feel particularly threatened by you."

Elyza frowned, her face turning more serious as the brunette kept speaking. "I was in the army. I've killed people."

Alicia sobered up. "I think everybody has killed, by now. And if you're about to try and convince me of how dangerous you are, don't bother."

The blond took a deep breath, considering her options. She had no desire to send the other woman away. She was intrigued by her, by the connection they had. And if she was honest, she could see a lot of herself in Alicia's fierce determination. Maybe they could work together to secure the city. Convincing people to leave was hard and time was running short. In two weeks, three at most, she needed to put her plan in motion. "I guess I'll have to show you tomorrow then. Maybe you'll believe me once you see my amazing fighting skills."

Alicia froze and turned to meet the Elyza's eyes. She gave her a small nod and the brunette was surprised by how relieved she was at her decision. They had known each other for less than a day but the thought of leaving made her feel uneasy. She brushed the feeling off, falling back into the easy banter that already felt familiar.  
"I've seen you fight. I wasn't impressed." That was a blatant lie but Elyza didn't need to know. 

"In that alley? That wasn't fighting, sweetheart. I was toying with them."

Alicia rolled her eyes before replying. "Whatever you say. Can I properly meet your puppy now?" She didn't wait for an answer and pushed the door of the cold room open. 

"He's a wolf."

"And you're a big bad soldier. I see a pattern here." Elyza chuckled and didn't fight the smile on her lips as she followed in Alicia's steps. The next few days were suddenly looking a lot more interesting than when she woke up in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, I'm setting up a longer plot but I can't promise I'll continue this (That's why I marked it as complete and tried to close the ending as much as I could). I do enjoy writing but school is keeping me very busy :(.


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for everybody commenting and leaving kudos! It really makes my day :-). This chapter was necessary to the plot. I'm not too happy with it but after four rewrites, I think it's the best I can come up with. Maybe I'll come back and edit it later.

A few hours had passed since dinner and Elyza was playing with the wolf. She had suddenly decided the animal needed to be trained and Alicia had taken the role of silent audience. She was observing them, skepticism painted on her face. Wolves were wild animals, they weren't supposed to be trained. The cub seemed to agree with her, as he was ignoring the commands and jumping excitedly around the frustrated blond. 

"Why do you do it?"

"Because I don't think a full grown wolf will let me hold his jaw closed and be satisfied with a can of beef stew. If he's well trained, he won't attack anything that's bleeding."

Alicia vaguely nodded but clarified her thoughts "No, why are you wandering the streets to save strangers? It's not like the army is forcing you."

Elyza tensed at the question. She knelt and gave the leftovers of the packed meals they had shared for dinner to the cub. Her fingers brushed his soft fur while she was thinking about how much of her story she wanted to share. She slowly walked closer to Alicia who had her back to the freezer at the center of the room. She took a seat on the floor and leaned on the wall.

"A horde is coming. Soon. I'm trying to evacuate the civilians left in the city."

"Why? The place is already crawling with Walkers. The survivors left know how to handle them."

Elyza gave her her with a questioning glance. "Don't you know what a horde is?" It had been a well known designation when the Infected started spreading.

"Am I supposed to know?"

"Didn't you listen to any news since it started?"

Alicia shrugged. "I didn't bother. The reports had to be authorized by the government. They stopped sharing any useful information after a week and it took less than a month before the news became propaganda channels. I think they wanted to make sure nobody would panic." She paused, lost in her memories from that brief time where nobody could quite believe that the zombie apocalypse was really happening. With a frown, she remembered how the denial had progressively turned into a quiet sense of panic that ended in the military takeover. "Not that it really worked because social medias were invaded by people telling their stories. It's how we learnt that the Infected were out of control. My mother was in denial for a while, until the army came and took Nick. Then we left and I haven't seen any kind of news since my phone stopped working."

Elyza didn't immediately answered. Her unit had been among the first ones called upon and she had relied on military radio since her her early deployment. She wasn't aware of how the government had taken control of the medias. "The army had a classification. It was used to organize how many soldiers would be sent to answer reports of Infected sightings. We used numbers. A Code 1 designated a group under twenty people, Code 2 were groups under fifty people, up to Code 5." 

"Like the classification they used for tornadoes."

Elyza shrugged. "Tornadoes with teeth and a taste for human flesh, yes. But Hordes..." Her words trailed off. She had spent weeks following a horde from afar and she couldn't erased images of dead bodies piling up against each other as they would stumble their way to some poor survivor trapped in front of them. "We never managed to organize an efficient response against them. A horde can take down an entire city. We're talking hundreds of Infected, maybe thousands. The only way to survive is to run." 

The new information caught the brunette's interest. She leaned forward, her arms resting on her propped up knees. "So a horde is like an emergency call? There's no way to stop them?"

"As far as I know, we destroyed a couple with bombs." She shook her head. "That doesn't leave a lot of survival chances for civilians either."

Alicia seemed lost in thoughts for a few minutes before she tilted her head and asked "Wait, you said you're warning survivors that a horde will arrive soon. But how can you predict where the Walkers are going?"

"We have some knowledge about how they move. They follow lights and loud noises. Or they can smell us once they get close enough. Some said they were sensitive to heat but as far as I know, nobody could prove it. I know they're coming because I've been tracking them. We're the nearest city from their last known position."

Alicia nodded. It did make sense, cities were an obvious source of lights even without electricity. Several solar lamps were still working and she had seen most people move around with flashlights at night. She had always preferred the cover of darkness but groups didn't have to worry so much about being noticed. While the noise was less obvious, she knew there were too many survivors still hiding in buildings or abandoned houses to achieve perfect silence. "Wait, how do you know what attract them? Did you experiment on Walkers?" Her tone was uneasy and she bit her bottom lip. 

"Not personally, no. But I'm sure some people higher up in the army did." She gazed curiously at the brunette. "Why do you call them Walkers?"

Alicia answered with a wistful smile "My brother came up with the name. I know we're supposed to call them Infected but I had to find another name after I saw how they looked for the first time. They were running after Nick and the name just... It didn't fit. They're not people infected with a virus, they're dead bodies that came back to life. When I found him, we tried to walk back to our house for a couple of days and we didn't talk. I needed time to myself, I was trying to wrap my mind around everything that had happened. He broke the silence one night, before going to sleep. He just whispered "The Dead are walking." and it stuck. I don't know why I still call them Walkers. To remember him, maybe."

Elyza frowned. She briefly wondered how many people Alicia had lost but didn't feel like prying. She would learn more when the other woman would be ready to share, if she ever was. 

The younger woman was silent for a few seconds, glad to avoid further questioning. "So that's it? You know a horde is coming and you're warning people so they'll get enough time to run?"

"Pretty much." It was the only part of the plan she was willing to share. 

"Then what?"

Elyza clinched her jaw. She knew she couldn't lie very well so she decided to stick close enough to the truth. "Then I don't know. I move on, I guess."

The brunette looked at her curiously. She could feel the sudden tension in the room. The soldier was sitting up with her back impossibly straight and her arms crossed in front of her. She was uncomfortable and Alicia couldn't understand why. But Elyza hadn't pushed to know more about her family so she decided to grant her the same courtesy, at least until the blond decided to move out of the city.

The cub chose that moment to come closer, gently nudging Alicia's hand with his paw until she started scratching between his ears. He laid down with his head on her thigh and she smiled. After a few seconds of silently petting the animal, she raised her head and peered at the other woman. 

"How did you name him?"

Elyza was grateful when the brunette dropped the topic of her future plan. She answered, a small smile on her lips at the cub's antics. "I didn't. He's not a pet, it's not like he needs a name."

Alicia's tone was a mix of incredulity and indignation as she protested. "Of course he does. Maybe you could train him better if you could catch his attention with a name."

Elyza chuckled but shrugged. "Fine. You pick then."

Alicia paused and examined the wolf. She threaded her hand in the black fur, enjoying the rich softness under her fingertips. He turned his head and his dark brown eyes seemed to look at her expectantly. 

"Raven."

"When I said you could choose, I didn't think you would name a wolf after a bird."

Alicia missed the teasing tone and frowned in response. "He's all black. It's not like you had a better idea."

The blond shook her head with a small smile. "I wasn't complaining. I like it."

Alicia swallowed and after a long look in Elyza's direction she added "It was my dad's favorite poem. He taught literature in college."

"The Raven? Your dad's favorite poem was about a man's slow descent into madness?"

Alicia chuckled. "I know. I told him it was weird. He said Poe had managed to write a scarier story in a poem, than most modern horror authors in a novel." She paused and recited without a trace of hesitation

"'And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,  
That I scarce was sure I heard you" – here I opened wide the door; – –  
Darkness there and nothing more.'"

She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the freezer, her father's voice resonating in her mind. She still remembered being caught watching a horror movie with her brother on her twelfth birthday. Her parents had been unhappy to say the least but he had given her a collection of Poe's work the next day. "There. This is really scary and you don't have to watch a psychopath turn people into bloody messes." Curious, she had stubbornly tried to understand it on her own, the book in one hand and a dictionary in the other but had gratefully accepted when he offered to read with her. She grew up to dislike poetry but  the Raven always held a special place in her heart. It had been her last connection to him after he died. She had read it more often than she was willing to admit, tracing the words with her fingers in her old, worn book.

Elyza smiled while Alicia was lost in thoughts. She used to love reading.  
"Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.'  
That's a lot of pressure to put on a cub."

The stunned surprise in the brunette's eyes made the soldier raised an eyebrow. "I was going to major in literature before I joined the military. Don't look so shocked."

Alicia swallowed the emotions at the words she had shared with her father. The description of the raven had always been his favorite part and hearing it again made her throat tightens. She clinched her jaw, well decided to keep the tears in check. The memories of those moments spent with him seemed closer, like a piece of him was still alive. It brought her an odd sense of comfort. 

The silence lengthened and Elyza tilted her head, intrigued by the pause in the discussion. Alicia made a dismissive movement with her hand, shrugging off her reaction. "Sorry. I think I'm just tired."

The blond nodded. "You should sleep, I always leave early in the morning."

Alicia groaned but agreed, removing her jacket to bunch it up as a makeshift pillow. It was better than laying her head on the hard floor even if the small room was comfortably warm. She turned and saw Elyza walked up to the door and locked it before removing her boots. She was getting ready to slip into her sleeping bag when she interrupted her. "What are you doing?" The soldier stopped moving and looked around with a confused frown so Alicia explained her thoughts. "Shouldn't we take turn sleeping? Someone needs to keep watch."

Elyza shrugged. The Walkers would never be able to maneuver the heavy door and no human could pull it open silently. "We don't have to. That door is keeping us safe. And even if someone gets in, they won't see us before I wake up." They were laying behind the freezer and there was a large shelf in front of the door that would keep them hidden from prying eyes. She had made sure to be sufficiently concealed when she had first discovered the restaurant, testing out different places to settle her sleeping bag and picking the spot that offered the best strategic coverage. She had even moved the freezer from the kitchen to the center of this room as a potential barricade. 

Alicia shook her head and sat up, moving so her back was leaning on the wall. She was well decided to stay awake if the soldier was going to sleep. 

Elyza sighed. She could see the tension and the tiredness in the brunette's face. She stood up to retrieve her riffle and settled it on her knees, taking a seat on Alicia's left.

The younger woman was surprised and her tone was slightly nervous. "I don't mind taking the first watch. It's my idea, you shouldn't have to stay awake."

"It's alright. I'm a night owl anyway. And Pigeon will keep me company." The wolf was obviously not sleepy, toying with an empty bag of chips on the floor. 

Alicia rolled her eyes. "It's Raven."

A smirk punctuated the soldier's answer. "Right, Raven. Sorry."

Alicia smiled and laid down next to the soldier. "I don't think you're sorry at all." She turned her back to the blond and snuggled further into the jacket. The floor wasn't exactly comfortable but she was exhausted and she felt safe enough to sleep without keeping her senses on alert for the first time in months. She closed her eyes and her brain brought her back to the events of the day. She was too tired to process what happened properly but there was one thought that wouldn't leave her alone.

"Why did you save me?"

Elyza had no answer. Saving her from the Walkers had been an easy decision, she would have helped anyone. But she had a feeling Alicia wasn't questioning that part of the day. Bringing the younger woman back to her refuge, treating her wounds and letting her stay were all surprising decisions when food and health supplies were so hard to find. She had no explanations other than how right it felt. Maybe the loneliness was finally getting to her. Maybe she would have brought back anyone on that particular day. And yet... Something was pulling her toward Alicia and she didn't know what to think of it. So she simply pushed it in the corner of her mind, deliberately ignoring the connection they had forged in less than a day. "I thought you were cute."

Alicia rolled her eyes and sighed. "Good night, Casanova. Wake me up whenever you need to sleep."

Elyza answered with a smile "Good night."

**************************

Alicia woke up when she heard a door slamming shut. She groaned and rolled over, facing the entrance. Elyza was standing there with a sheepish smile on her face. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

It took a minute but Alicia came back to her senses. She still felt her brain fogged by the remains of sleep but she forced herself to stand up. 'Wait, I thought we were supposed to take turns keeping watch." She frowned and continued. "Did you fall asleep?"

The blond turned to her, momentarily forgetting the task at hands. She had been trying to find a suitable breakfast for them once she returned from her early morning checkup of the restaurant. She didn't want a repeat of her accident with the wolf and she liked knowing no intruders were crawling around. "You said to wake you up when I needed to sleep. I didn't. It's not my first sleepless night, don't worry." 

Dumbfounded, it took a minute for Alicia to gather her thoughts. "But you can't just stay awake for two whole days."

"Sure, I can. We'll take turns tonight. Do you want breakfast?" She held out two cans of fresh fruits to the other woman. "Pineapples or pears. It's the only decent breakfast food I have. Unless you're into dehydrated eggs."

The brunette raised her hand to take the pineapple can and nodded. "Thanks." 

They ate in silence, each absorbed in their thoughts and mentally getting ready for the day ahead. 

**************************

"So, what's the plan?"

Elyza took her backpack in her hands and picked up a piece of rolled paper, stuck under it. It was a map of the city, marked by several traits of pencil. The blond pointed a particular perimeter she had circled. "We need to evacuate this zone." Alicia widened her eyes at the size of their target and Elyza stiffened. She couldn't explain why she picked those streets without explaining her exact plan so she improvised. "I've already cleared the other streets, it's faster than it looks. And we have a car."

Alicia nodded but seemed intrigued "How did you even get that car?"

"I found it. It was running on the side of the road the first morning I got here. I turned if off, took the keys and waited until nighttime. Nobody came back so I took it. The first aid kit was in the backseat."

"That's why you have so many medical supply?"

"Yeah, I think the owner was some sort of doctor. Or maybe a mechanic, I've never seen a car that runs so silently." She turned to see Alicia who was filling her bag with a few cans of food and zipped it close, settling the weight on her shoulders. The brunette advanced toward the door when Elyza stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Wait. You'll need a weapon."

"Why? You have enough for both of us." She had managed to survive without being heavily armed and she had no desire to change her attitude.

"Yes. But you still need to be able to defend yourself. We can't just run every time we see Walkers." She walked up to the freezer and slid it open. She took out a spare holster and handed it to Alicia with a nod in the direction of her arsenal. "Take whatever you feel comfortable with."

The younger woman moved and stared at her choices, the nervous feeling in her stomach making it impossible to pick. "Why do you have so many weapons anyway?"

"It's always good to be prepared. I prefer to have all those guns locked in here than in the hands of some idiots pillaging stores." Elyza waited and frowned when the silence lengthened. Alicia was examining the inside the freezer and shuffling awkwardly on her feet. "What's the matter?"

She answered with a vaguely annoyed sigh. "I don't like guns."

Elyza nodded and dug up what seemed to be a machete. She handed it to the brunette before taking one of her own knife and sliding it into the holster tied to Alicia's waist. "You can use this." She hesitated a few seconds and their hands met on the weapon's handle before Alicia took it. "But you can't afford to be afraid of guns."

The brunette frowned, indignation in her tone. "I'm not afraid. I just don't like them."

Elyza raised a skeptical eyebrow and when Alicia stopped talking, she took her riffle in hand. She removed the strap that was tying it to her back and passed it to the other woman. "Good. You can have mine then, I've been waiting to try something new anyway."

Alicia took an obvious step back, her grip on the machete tightening in reflex. She glanced at the weapon Elyza was handing her for a long time before shaking her head. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

She sighed and adjusted her back holster before stepping forward. She touched Alicia's elbow gently and kept her tone soft "I wasn't trying to make fun of you. You do need to get over your fear because you might need to use a gun to save your life one day." She stopped talking when the brunette gazed at her but her eyes were impossible to read. "I can help if you want. We all have fears, don't worry about it."

With a slight nod, Alicia walked to the door, stopping in front of the entrance. Her back was to Elyza when she asked. "What are you scared of?"

She only hesitated a second before joining the younger woman and offered an honest answer. "Closed space. I can't stay in a room without windows or I feel trapped."

Alicia looked pointedly around the small room they were standing in, bringing a smile to the soldier's lips as she raised her hand toward a small opening in the cold room's door, similar to those small windows found on ships' cabins. "That's enough to make your fear go away?"

Elyza shrugged. "I keep the door opened most of the time but I'm not exactly comfortable. It gets worse at night, that's why I wait until I'm ready to pass out to shut the door. I can't be afraid if I'm sleeping."

Alicia frowned "But you didn't sleep last night." The younger woman tilted her head to the side as she slowly figured out why Elyza was hesitant when she suggested they could take turn keeping watch. It had to be easier for the blond to close her eyes and ignore her fear. Instead she had stayed awake in the dark room, simply because Alicia asked her.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Elyza awkwardly broke the seriousness. "I managed. I told you, I let you sleep because you needed it. And because I'm sure you're even more stubborn when you're sleep deprived."

Alicia rolled her eyes but couldn't exactly denied the accusation. She reluctantly dropped the topic with a last comment. "Thank you." She paused but raised her head to meet the other woman's eyes, a new found determination in her voice. "Can you teach me how to shoot? When we'll get back."

Elyza bit her lips but nodded. "I'll try."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally admitted to myself that it's more than an extended one-shot. I'm planning on keeping up the almost weekly update schedule but we'll see what happens. I'll try my best to finish it!

**Author's Note:**

> I put some elements of background but I didn't want to leave to leave an open ending.  
> Hope you enjoyed :-)


End file.
